Switzerland awaits you at the center of Europe with all of its beauties such as views resembling oil-paintings, cute Middle Age towns on mountain skirts, mountains, lakes, the majestic Rhine River and of course, delicious cuisine. Let us together take a look at the details of the enjoyable trip we took along Lake Constance in Northeastern Switzerland which we participated as the guest of Switzerland Tourism via the Swiss Embassy.
By M. Ferhat YÜKSEL
Switzerland -where you can do different activities all seasons with its Middle Age towns, chocolate, clocks, nature and of course the Alps with popular ski centers- greets you with a different beauty during fall. The flights to Zurich by Turkish Airlines four times a day takes about three hours. When you reach Zurich, you can easily reach every corner of Switzerland via train, bus or tram from the train station located in the airport. Zurich is only 10 minutes from the airport by train.
If you want to spend time in Zurich, you can take an enjoyable tour of the cities beautiful streets following a coffee break. You can continue your tour at the city of Schaffhausen (capital of the Canton of Schaffhausen) located 40 minutes away by train. While in Schaffhausen -on the north shore of the Rhine River with a population of 79,000- you can stay at the Hotel Arcona. Located next to the train station, Hotel Arcona will give you a unique experience with its modern architecture and room design. We should also state that this new hotel has a great and modern Spa.
THE LARGEST IN EUROPE
Rhine Falls -four kilometers from the Schaffhausen city center and visited by 1.3 million tourists every year- is at the top of the list of places you must visit. The waterfall, located on the Rhein, which starts at the Swiss Alps and is one of the longest and most majestic river in Europe, is the largest waterfall in Europe. The waterfall is 10 minutes away by the Neuhausen am Rheinfall bus that departs right near the hotel. On one side of the falls is Schaffhausen, and the Zurich canton on the other. You can take a short walk on the Schaffhausen side of the waterfall and enjoy the view at one of the cafes or restaurants next to the river. If the beautiful view does not excite you as expected, then I suggest you go to the giant rock located in the middle of the waterfall. You can reach the rock with small boats called ‘Weidling’s that go against the wild waters of the river. Once at the rock, you can feel the energy of the Rhine Falls, the coolness and vibrations of the 700,000 liters of water that falls per second. After enjoying the great view from the rock, the same boat will take you to the Zurich Canton side.
One of the places that you must visit on the Zurich side is the Laufen Castle where the Middle Age atmosphere is well-preserved. You can wander through the castle museum and streets and have a nice dinner at the restaurant.
LEAVE YOURSELF TO THE RHINE…
The Rhine River, which was once an important method of transportation for Europe, carried everything from food to weapons to salt, which was as important as gold, in the oldest periods of history. You should definitely try the unbelievably beautiful ferry trip from Schaffhausen to the Middle Age town Stein am Rhein on this beautiful river. The tour on the smooth morning waters of the river with a silent-motor ferry will captivate you. During the trip, you will see people in canoes, swans, houses on the shore with beautiful architecture, and most importantly you will fall in love with the silence and every shade of green. There is no better way to start the day than with a coffee and fresh croissant that you will order on the ferry.
THE ROAD TO THE MIDDLE AGES: STEIN AM RHEIN
A city tied to the Schaffhausen Canton, Stein am Rhein is a Middle Age town with its architecture, stone streets and the Burg Hohenklingen Castle located on a hill overlooking the city. Before pacing the stone streets of the town which are closed off to traffic, you can go to the Burg Hohenklingen Castle and taste Schaffhauser Rieslingcremesuppe (a Schaffhausen style cream of mushroom soup made with Riesling grapes grown in the region), steak and the famous sorbet at the restaurant with an unmatched view. The most important feature of this restaurant is that everything from the meat to the wine is produced in the town or locally. The castle was restored in 2007 and the museum where the artifacts found are displayed could attract your attention. You can enjoy the view of Lake Constance at the restaurant’s terrace, then continue your trip to the Switzerland of the Middle Ages by going back into town.
The Middle Age atmosphere is well-preserved in Stein am Rhein. One of the most important features of the town are the wood-frame buildings decorated with frescoes that accompany you on the stone roads. Parts of the city walls that still stand strong today and the castle door is in good condition as well. The front exterior of nearly every house is decorated with frescoes from between the 16th and 20th centuries. The one that drew my attention the most was the Schwarzes Horn (Dark Horn) building dating back to 1515. The house belongs to Johann Rudolf Schmid who served as ambassador in the Ottoman Empire between 1629-1643. The frescoes were made by Schmid himself and were repainted by A. Schmid in 1914.
The building known as Weisser Adler (White Eagle) across from the historic parliament building is decorated with images from Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron book and motifs from Gesta Romanorum. These are the oldest wall paintings in Switzerland belonging to the Renaissance period and were made by Thomas Schmid in the years 1520/1525.
Every step you take in Stein am Rhein will bring you closer to Lake Constance with clear waters connecting to the Rhine River and beautiful shores. The interesting stories will take you to the depths of the Middle Ages and ensure that you see Europe from a different angle.
A MODERN CITY HUGGING A LAKE AND MOUNTAIN
While traveling from Schaffhausen to St. Gallen, take a short break at Rorschach located on the shores of Lake Constance and enjoy a bike ride on the lake shore. After an eight-kilometer bike tour among the amazing view and cute houses next to the lake, you can rest at the Hotel Rotes Kreuz’s restaurant in the Arbon town with a view of the lake. Here you can try to the sheep’s sorrel decorated with a sauce and egg slices, and the spinach and cheese wrapped in crepe. After this point, you can return to Rorschach by ferry over Lake Constance (we took our bikes back as the waters were not high enough for ferries).
CULTURE, INTELLECTUALISM AND RELIGION
After the short but fun bike tour, we reached St. Gallen from Rorschach by train. Here you can chose the Radisson Blu hotel for its closeness to the city center and its comfort. This city is known for its monastery, cathedral and library located in the giant Baroque St. Gall Catholic Complex. The St. Gall Cathedral is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and has been a center of intellectualism and religion since its construction in the 8th century.
YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF LIBRARIES WILL CHANGE
The St. Gall (Stiftsbibliothek) library located in the St. Gallen Cathedral Complex will blow your mind. The library which was created by the founders of the Benedict Church in St. Gallen in the 7th century has an archive of 160,000 books, over 1,500 of them handwritten. Among these handwritten works are those belonging to the Ottoman. Another impressive feature of the library, where mummies from Egypt are displayed, is its rococo style interior design made in 1758. In addition, the ceiling frescoes where Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Calcedon are illustrated look like paintings in natural light.
The square and the surrounding roads where the St. Gall Cathedral is located is closed off to traffic. While walking down the narrow roads between the historic buildings, you can shop at the stores of famous brands. You can take a coffee break at Chocolaterie am Klosterplatz and taste their chocolates.
DINNER AT A SMALL PALACE
Among the many restaurants that you can have dinner at in St. Gallen, Schlössli built in the 16th century stands out as a memorable place with not only its delicious foods but its historic texture and architecture as well. The restaurant’s special sausages, menu and rich wine cellar ranging from Spain to Chile to Australia will surprise you. The menu at Schlössli changes every four seasons. You can try the Bratwurst sausage served with a sauce for starters, the calf meat and rösti (mashed onion and potatoes) for the main course. With Murano chandeliers, handmade woodwork and special dining rooms that have not changed in centuries, Schössli will give you an unmatched experience.
WATCH SIX CITIES FROM THE SUMMIT
If you plan on staying in St. Gallen for a few days, there are two places that you must see. The first is the Säntis Mountain where at 2.500 meters high you can see the lands of six different countries (if weather conditions allow). Don’t forget to bring a jacket with you to the summit that you reach by cable car. The Schlorzifladen Cake is a must-try at the Säntisgipfel restaurant with a panoramic view.
APPENZELL
The town of Appenzell, which was a single canton until the 16th century before splitting into two smaller cantons, is another place that you must visit. This cute town with a population of 1.500 is also an important tourism center. In the 16th century, a giant fire damaged all of the buildings except the church, and they were all rebuilt from wood a year later.
200 YEAR OLD BELT FASHION
Appenzell is known for its mesmerizing views, and many rooted traditions such as the Alpaufzüge-processions to the alpine pastures, folk music and local dance events. Appenzell beer is very famous and they mention it with pride. 30 percent of the population are farmers but the main income of the town is tourism and most of the population works in this sector. Appenzell handicrafts are famous as well. They are known for bells, traditional belts, jewelry, embroidery work, naive rural paintings, dulcimer production, saddlery for Alpine herdsmen and sheepfarmers.
The Appenzeller Belts hand made with techniques unique to this area have been in fashion for 200 years. The traditional dresses decorated with gems worn by village women during festivals has a value of $15.000 or more. An interesting location of the city that you will want to see is a work of art that constantly spins next to the church. This work of art made by Roman Signer Tisch, who was born in Appenzell, completes a full turn in three minutes. The table and chair shaped the work of the same artist next to the river will surprise you as well. If you are interested in train rides, amazing natural views, a peaceful atmosphere and Middle Age Europe, Switzerland is the place for you, though a bit expensive.
Bon voyage…
Copyright by: Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn/ Swiss Travel System By-Line: swiss-image.ch/Thomas Andenmatten
INDISPENSABLE: SWISS TRAVEL PASS
There are bus, train or ferry services to everywhere in Switzerland. This surprisingly punctual and regular system is the foundation of public transportation in Switzerland. If you’re going to Switzerland, you must buy a Swiss Travel Pass either from the SBB (Swedish Railroad) office in the Zurich Airport or over the internet. The Swiss Travel Pass is a ticket system that allows tourists to travel around the country freely and without limits using rail, road or sea. With this card, you can use all of the buses, trains and ferries in the country except some private trains that tour the Alps. We used the Swiss Travel Pass throughout our trip as well.
For detailed information: www.swisstravelsystem.com
